The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-19
THE SHAKESPEARE MEMORIAL AT
AVON.


Our fellow countryman, I%gnatius Don
nelly, who is so anxious TO make us believe
that hehas deciphercd n Baconian mystery,
in the process of which he attempts TO rob
shakespeare Of his good name, must have
felt rs If all his calculations had zone for
naught when he read the report Of the pro-
ccedings at Stratford -on-Avon on Monday,
as sent by cable and published by all the
newspapers Of yesterday. lie must have
felt, indeed, as il his had been "a fools
Grand when men like Irving, the nc
complishcd Shakespcarcan scholar rs well
Ms actor, called special attention in his
speech TO the reverend expressions Of love
by S~hakcspoare's fellow actors, expressed
in the first published edition Of his works.
They knew his worth in wit and verse, be-
cause under his direction they had re-
hearsed the lines that have since been the
wonder Of the world. The ''myriad-
minded Shakespeare had revealed TO
them glimpscs OF the marvellous capacity
and grasp that enabled him TO show forth
the strength and weakness Of human
ity, and all that lies between these
a~ntagonizing extremes, as countcrfcits Of
nature. AS the manager Of the Globe
theatcr and co.proprietor, he put his own
plays upon the stage and gave his own
stage directions, taking himself subordi:
nate parts, for his genius lay in tho lines,
not in the rendering Of them. Thus able
10 direct his walk in life within the meas
urc OF his step, ''mastor DER himself" he
was able 10 command, and impressed him
self upon his fellow actors as Il modest,
genial man, who, while working for each
day, was building for all time. They never
heard Of Bacon at the rehcarsals nor saw
another hand than great Shakcspcare's''
In the lines, which they garncrcd and pub
lished 10 the world with tho assurance
that "as he was a happy imitaior Of ma
turc, lac was u most gentle oxpositor Of II"
Such u tribute from such n source more
than outwcighs the cyphcrs Of Donnclly
or the worrying words Of the few who,
by reason Of mental misdhrec-
ton, have attempted 10 rob the
world Of Shakespeare. But Irving
was not alone In his testimony 20 the
worth 81 the poet Of all time on tho de-
lightful occasion 81 the unwilling of the
monumental fountain Ia the poets mem
DRY. Two renowned American poets paid
their tribute, one of song, the other Of
such prose m lao Is master III. They had
~ words Tor Bacon. With their knowl'
edge OF Shakespeare, M intimate NJ tia, oI
any oi ,hc scholars or poets Of the centuries
that have passed since the poct died. the,
arc strong In the conviction IT the truthful
ncSs ~ player and poet Of the man whom
his contemporary Johnston, aud al III,
wits and poets Of his day. acknowledged
Ia bc the supreme genius OF the Eliza,
bclhinn age. Their words were a timely
rcbukc Of Donnclly' rlshncss, and adns.r-
ably supplemented the appropriate gf ol
the fountain 10y Mr. George W. Childs,
proprietor oi the Philadelphia Ledger, who
thus makes a new claim upon the respect
and esteem VI the English speaking pco.
pie. lie has thus made aioncmcnt Tor Don
nclly's folly. aud has rcaruuscd their dcvo.
ton iur shakespeare, who was never mon
securely fixed in the minds Of men ~ the
o'crmastcring genius ui the world than h,
IL now, when his reputation is most vio
lcntly assaulted.